I'll Give My LIfe for Her
by Rondabunny
Summary: Thirteen's life doesn't matter for her anymore. Something unusual should happen to make her want to leave it for purpose.
1. Chapter 1

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**By Rondabunny**

Remi opened the door of her apartment. She put her luggage on the floor and switched on the answering machine. She walked about the room undressing. Her thoughts were far away in Thailand. Remi thought about last night in the hotel with Mia, a gorgeous brunette, whom she met on the beach. Her month in Thailand was the most wonderful time she ever had. She could stay there forever but asthma made her turn back home.

"Remi, It's Mike," – told a voice from answering machine, - "It's Mike Klimann, your dad's friend. Listen, he died today. Doctor said it was a heart-attack... I'm so sorry. I thought maybe you'd come to the funeral. Call me… Bye."

She didn't believe as she heard the message the first time. She listened to it once, then twice…Then Remi sat down to understand the words. It was impossible for her father to die. He was so strong and healthy, and optimistic. She has never seen him complain or cry, or whatever other humans do. This couldn't be true. She looked at the date of the message. This happened two weeks ago. She put on a pair of jeans, a sweater, grabbed a coat and went out.

An hour later she parked her car near a building. Dr. Hadley went upstairs, took the keys and opened the door to her father's apartment. It was dark and calm. She switched on the lights and went from room to room. Remi took a picture from the table. Her father and her happy face smiled from the photo. She touched gently her dad's face and tears started to fall down her cheeks. She realized he's gone forever.

Remi sat in a bar with a drink in her hand. It was her third glass of vodka. She visited Mike and found out what had happened. She felt so lost. She nearly jumped as she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her.

"Vodka instead of tea at five o'clock? I see you had a great time in Thailand," – Cuddy said sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Yeah... my father died two weeks ago…" – young doctor answered sipping the drink till the end.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Hadley…" – Cuddy apologized.

"This is not a problem," – she replied ordering another drink.

"Of course not, you obviously were enemies. Don't behave like House, you're not him!" – Cuddy used her sarcastic tone.

"I have a little sister. She's ten. Her mother died from cancer when she was only two year-old. They put her into an orphanage and automatically she jumped into the Foster Parent Program. A couple from Florida wants to adopt her," – Remi sipped from her glass again.

"What are you going to do?" – Lisa asked.

"I don't know. I can't take her. I don't have a job. If I'm working I come home late. I'm a party-slutty with a death sentence. I don't want her to suffer with me. Maybe those people will make her life happy," – she looked at Dr. Cuddy.

"Do you love her?"

"What?"

"Do you really love your sister?

"When my step-mother died I took care of Roxie. It was a hard time for my dad. I brought her up till she was 6, then I moved," – Dr. Hadley confessed.

"Remi, you have to choose. Either you adopt her or you leave her to the total strangers. If you want a job I can help you. Dr. Cameron left the Diagnostics Department. Her place is vacant. House is the head of the department, Foreman failed. Now it is up to you what do you want from the time that is left. Want to suffer – great, sex, drugs and rock-n-roll are for you, want to make something useful – come at my office at 9 o'clock tomorrow," – she stood up and left the bar.

Remi came to adopt her sister.

"Dr. Hadley, do you understand that it is a child, you can't leave her and spend holidays in Thailand or whatever place you've been," - said an old lady in glasses. "She is been waiting for you since the day social workers brought her here. Please, don't disappoint this girl. She went on a hunger strike just to make us understand that she needs only one person – you. Roxie hasn't been eating for two days. I hope you'll make her eat something," – strict lady signed the papers.

"I'll try to do my best," – Remi replied.

Remi came into the room and saw Roxie lying in the hospital bed. She was sleeping. Remi touched her face gently. She stirred in her sleep and opened her eyes.

"Remi?!" – the child asked softly.

"Hey, sleepy-head."

"Where have you been?"

"I'm sorry, Roxie. I won't leave you again I promise. We're going home," – she answered hugging her sister.

"Don't leave me ever," – the kid said.

"Let's get dressed."

The end


	2. Chapter 2

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**By Rondabunny**

**Part 2**

Remi prepared a room for her sister. She cleaned some drawers of drugs, condoms and other really necessary things for her but not for Roxie. She hid everything in her secret place – the built-in-closet and hoped that the smart one wouldn't check her clothes. She took her sister's things from the apartment of her father and several pictures of her father. Maybe her apartment was a little dark for a child but she did everything to make it comfortable.

Roxie had some tea and a sandwich in the car and refused to eat anything else.

Roxie, one sandwich is not enough. You haven't been eaten for two days…

Are you a real doctor? If you were you'd have known that a person who hadn't been eating for a long time can die if he ate too much, - the child protested.

Who said that bullshit to you?

I've read it in a book. Don't remember what book exactly…

Here mashed potatoes and fish. I know you like it, - Dr. Hadley put the plate with food in front of Roxanne. The child looked at it critically, smelled it and moved the plate aside.

I don't want to eat.

You don't want it, fine. Get dressed I'm taking you to the hospital. I'll make a gastroscopy, check your stomach, I'll make some other analyses and maybe leave you at the hospital for a week, you know, to be sure that everything's OK.

No…

What does it mean "no"? Yes, of course.

I won't go anywhere, - Roxie concluded and got up from the table.

Are you sure?

You can't make me do anything, because there is a child abuse law according which I can sue you.

Wow! I think you surf the web quite often. You're grounded: no TV, no internet, no books until you eat something.

Deal, you are so predictable by the way, - Roxie disappeared in her room.

Remi smiled and put the plate with potatoes into the fridge.

An hour later Remi knocked on the door.

Just a second… She hid her laptop under the pillow, - Come in, please.

Dr. Hadley came into the room and sat on the bed. Her hand slid under the pillow and took out the notebook computer.

Aha, it's warm. What's your excuse?

I think I'll eat something…

Listen, tomorrow you'll come with me at work.

You mean at the hospital? No way!

Roxie, I know that you don't like the place but I can't leave you alone.

Why? I'm not a five year old. I can stay alone before school starts.

Your school is too far from here and Roxie, I'm sorry but I can't afford it. Dad… he made a loan to pay for your private school. It's a huge sum of money and his credit history is bad. He hadn't paid the mortgage and I can't pay it either. The day he died… he lost his job that day. Maybe it caused the heart-attack.

I didn't know, - said Roxie with tears falling down.

Remi hugged her sister and tried to calm her down.

Hey, it's not your fault. I'm sorry, jewel. I promise everything will be all right, - but deep in her heart she knew she was lying.

It was Monday morning, twenty minutes to eight when Remi jumped from the bed. She went quickly to the kitchen and found there Roxie lazily sipping tea.

Your coffee is ready. Just pour it into the cup, - said the child taking a huge bite of a chocolate bar.

Why haven't you woken me up? – she asked Roxie.

Because if I woke you up I had to go with you. But now you have no time to wait for me to pack my things, get dressed and so on.

Great! You have five minutes to get dressed. If you aren't ready you'll go in you pyjamas. I mean it!

She disappeared in the bathroom. Roxie thought for a while and hurried into the room to get dressed. She remembered quite well the last time Remi was really angry and the notes of her tone assured the girl this wasn't just a threat. She put on tights, a shirt, a skirt and a jacket. She grabbed a satchel and put the laptop into it. Roxie made a pony tail of her hair and went into the living-room.

Ready? – Remi looked at the sister meeting her blue eyes with her steel grey ones.

Let's go!

She took the keys of her car and went outside.

**At the hospital:**

Ok, now you'll go to the recreation room. There are a lot of children there and many toys. It'll be fun, - Hadley bent to be Roxie's height.

Yeah, if you're a three year old. I told you it would be better for me to stay at home.

Listen, I have to work. I'll come as soon as possible to check on you. We'll have dinner together, I promise.

Thirteen, nice to meet you again. By the way you've missed the differential, - she heard House's voice behind her back.

Good morning, House.

He looked at the girl standing near Thirteen.

Bastard kids? She's too old for Thailand.

She is my sister and it's none of your business, House, - Remi snapped back.

Do you want to spend the whole day with tots or do you like to come into my super cool office and we'll play the whole day, - he said to the girl.

I prefer to play with kids rather than with dotards, - Roxie replied.

Roxanne! – Remi looked at the girl in disbelief.

Roxanne?! You mean her name's Roxie?! Like in "Roxanne, you don't have to put on that red light…" Your father is a real joker, - he told them. Thirteen just rolled her eyes.

Our father died two weeks ago, - Thirteen said to House.

Oh… What about her mother?

Died when she was two. Come on Roxie, let's go to other kids, she took her sister by the hand.

**House's office:**

Dr. Hadley came into the room in doctor's smock ready to listen to her boss comments about her life.

Have you adopted her? – he asked Thirteen.

Yes, - she answered taking a file from the table.

You changed sluts for motherhood? Interesting.

You mean, I had to leave her at an orphanage? It's mean even for you, House.

His pager beeped and he sent Thirteen to check on the patient.

**Recreation Room:**

Roxie amused toddlers by juggling and showing magic tricks. House applauded. He asked the nurse to take Roxie to Dr. Hadley.

Where did you learn juggling?

Once when I was in a summer camp I saw a circus show. I wanted to be like the gymnast girl who could do the splits and walk the tightrope. So, Remi taught me how to do it and I've also learned juggling, magic tricks and other circus stuff.

So, do you want to be a gymnast?

No, I want to be a hacker, it's much more complicated. Where are we going?

What about an ice-cream?

I hate ice-cream.

Cake?

No, jelly.

Jelly?

Yes, fruit jelly and pine-apple juice.

You're becoming impudent.

You lied to the nurse and if Remi finds out you're dead.

You forgot one thing I'm her boss.

I'm her sister.

Thirty minutes later Dr. Hadley and Dr. Taub came into the office to make a report on the patient. She saw her sister sitting in front of Dr. House deep in chess game, Chase and Foreman made a bet that Roxie would win. Remi looked angrily at her boss.

Roxie, how did you get here? – she asked starring at Roxie's thoughtful face.

Dr. House invited me to play chess with him. Checkmate…

Yeah, right. If Dr. House tells you to jump out of the window will you jump?

Thirteen was really angry. She yelled at Roxie.

If your patient is dying it's not my fault, - the kid said and left the room.

Where are you going?.. Remi wanted to follow her sister but House stopped her.

Don't worry, she'll come back. Her satchel is here, - he said.

They discussed the patients and his diagnosis. House sent all the doctors to cure the patient except Thirteen.

She is a great kid, - the older doctor said.

I know…

Does she know about Huntington?

No… She has her own problems why telling her mine? She is only ten.

What will you do when you start showing the symptoms?

I don't know, House. I want to live now, day after day or I'll go crazy before I start showing the symptoms.

Then, go and find her, because you're the only authority she ever had. She likes you. Why didn't you tell anybody about your sister?

Why do you always want to get your nose in somebody's life?

It's a rhetorical question.

Than silence is a rhetorical answer….

She went after her sister…


	3. Chapter 3

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**by Rondabunny**

**Part 3**

**Three year later.**

Remi already phoned the police and called every friend, classmate or whoever she knew was Roxie's pal but no one told Thirteen were her sister was. She paced from corner to corner. It was already 1 a.m. in the morning. Suddenly she heard a door-lock clicking and a very tired girl came into the room.

_Hi, _- Roxie said and put her skateboard beside the wall.

_Where have you been?_ – Remi asked furiously.

_I've been to London to look at the_… - a ringing slap resounded in the room, -

…_queen. _

It wasn't very smart of a thirteen year old to remember childish poem, but she hasn't moved a muscle.

_I asked you__, where have you been?_ – Remi shouted.

_I was making love to a boy but you won't understand it. You're a lesbo_, - the girl shrugged her shoulders.

_What? Do you think it's a joke? I've been searching for you everywhere. I've even called all the morgues__ and you're talking to me like that?_

_Have you finished your scolding 'cause I'm really tired. I wanna go to sleep._

Remi threw the phone, she was holding during the whole conversation, on the couch and said: _"So, you think you're a grown-up. Fine, you want to do everything you want. Great! No pocket money anymore, no preparing you dinner, no new clothes, nothing! You think you're an adult than pay the bills, make money, go get a job! Now you're free. I won't bother about you, 'cause I don't care either."_

_Ok. Good night, Remi, - _she went to her room and closed the door.

She plopped on the bed buried her face in the pillow and cried silently not wanting her sister to know that the words really hurt her worse than her left hand that was aching since she fell from the skateboard.

The next day Remi came late and she was obviously drunk as hell. Friday Dr. Hadley went early to the hospital and didn't come home at all. Saturday morning Roxie woke up worried. She has been waiting till 12 o'clock and then went to Dr. House. He opened the door. He was surprised to see the girl.

_Hello._

_Hi. What are you doing here?_

_I wanted to ask if Remi is on duty today._

_No, she's not. Come in._

He let her in.

_She didn't come home, did she?_

_Yeah, I don't know where __she is and I don't know what to do._

He looked at her and saw her swollen hand. He came closer and took her hand to have a look.

_What __did you do to your hand?_

_Nothing. I fell from the skateboard two days ago._

She hissed when House pressed her wrist harder.

_You might have broken it. Let's go to the hospital. You need an x-ray and maybe a plaster. Why__ hasn't Thirteen noticed?_

_We had a fight. She doesn't talk to me._

_Like kids._

House took his coat and cane and left the apartment.

Two hours later House brought Roxie back to her place. Her poor hand was in blue plaster. He made some calls but hadn't found Thirteen anywhere. He told Roxie to stay at home and wait for her sister and went to search the bars and night clubs where she probably might have been last night.

Roxie came into the room and found Remi sitting at the table with a bottle of vodka.

_Hey, you're back_, - the girl said looking at Remi pouring herself another shot.

_Does it matter? – _she asked drinking off.

_Where have you been?_

_I've been to London to look at the queen, - _Thirteen said tongue-tied.

_Come on, you're drunk. –_ Roxie took the bottle from the table.

_It's none of your business! Give it to me. _

She stood up but her knees buckled and she nearly fell on the floor but Roxie grabbed her making her standing straight. She weighted a ton. It took 5 long minutes to reach Thirteen's bedroom and to put her to bed. After covering her sister with a blanket Roxie called House and told him that everything's all right.

Remi woke up in the evening with a huge headache. She took a shower and slipped into more comfortable clothes. Roxie was reading a book in the living-room.

_What's happened to your hand?_

_I broke it when I came late the other night._

_Yeah, I remember when you had sex with a stranger. _She smirked.

_I went skating that day and lost track of time. The skating ground is far from here, so it took me two hours to get back home._

_Why didn't you tell me?_

_You were pissed off and you know I'm afraid of hospitals._

_Nevertheless your hand is in plaster now._

_I was worried when you didn't come home last night. I went to Dr. House._

_Oh, how nice! Now he'll thrust his nose into everything I'll do. Thanks for your help!_

_I'm sorry._

_I'm sorry, - _Remi mimicked her, - _You're like a pain in the neck._

Roxanne didn't answer. She left the room leaving Remi alone. Thirteen took the bottle of vodka and poured a drink.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**By Rondabunny**

**Part 4**

Remi had a long, hot night in the club and then she spent some time with a girl, whom she met at the dance floor. She has slept for two hours and she looked as a disaster when she came to the office.

"_Oh, hello, the los__t one"_, - House greeted his co-worker. Everyone in the room looked closely at Thirteen smelling a contra-argument in the air.

"_I see ecstasy and martini weren't enough for you last night. By the way, how's the kid? You know, this high _(he showed how high the girl is)_, blue-eyed, brown-haired girl in plaster, how you call her by the way?.. Ah, Yes, Roxanne."_

"_Go to hell, House and leave me alone. It's my problem. __Mind your own business!"_ – she snapped back.

The doctors went back to the differential after this short harsh fight. The day went on without any accidents and Remi was ready to go home when House stopped her.

_What's going on, Thirteen?_

_What do you mean? Nothing is going on._

_You are falling again. Tired to be a mommy? Do you want to ruin your life and your sister's as well? Do you think it is worth it?_

_There is nothing valuable in this life._

_Your symptoms started to show up. _

_How did you know?_

_Fidgety movements, shaky hands, fussiness. You know this better._

_Yeah, I'm dying. It'll be better for me to die fast._

_Do you think by destroying yourself you're helping Roxie?_

_House, I need her to hate me. I want to push her to the limit, I want to send her back to the orphanage. It'll be better for her than to see me dying._

_If it's your decision, do as you wish._

He left Remi alone.

Two weeks were the most horrible weeks for Roxie. Remi yelled at her every day. She made her do all the household duties. She punished her for every trifle the girl made. Dr. Hadley always got home drunk. She behaved as a drug-addict but Roxie was always calm. The teenager did everything her sister asked even with one hand in the plaster. The more Remi yelled the better Roxie worked. The girl was always in control, she had never snapped back or argued. She wasn't bloody-minded at all.

This day was a very unusual one. Thirteen's phone rang.

_Hello, is it Dr. Hadley?_

_Yes._

_Would you, please, come to school and take Roxanne home._

_What's happened?_

_She is expelled from school for the rest of the week._

_Why?_

_There was a fight._

_Is she all right?_

_Yes, would you come to take her?_

_Yes, sure._

Dr. Hadley came at the principal's office and found Roxie sitting on a chair. Her hair was a mess, her shirt was torn but she looked self-confident. Two boys were standing in front of the principal's table. They were apologizing. Both looked pale and their faces were decorated with bruises.

"_Hello, I'm Remi Hadley, Roxie's sister. What's happened? Are you all right?"_ – she asked the girl.

"_I'm fine," _– she answered quietly.

"_Dr. Hadley, thank you for coming. It was an accident__ today. Roxie bashed up these two,_ – he nodded at the boys, - _now I understand that she was right. So, she's expelled only for today. It's our rules. Nick and Roy, I really need to talk to your parents. You won't leave the building until they come."_

"_Excuse me I need to know__ what has happened?" – _Thirteen insisted.

"_The boys accosted Roxanne. __She beat them up. They apologized already but I'll talk seriously to their parents. I'm really sorry. It won't happen again. I'll take the situation under control," – _he answered Thirteen.  
_"Come on, let's go," _– Remi said. Roxanne got her bag and left the room.

They got in the car. Roxie took off her torn shirt. She was wearing a T-shirt under it, so it wasn't a great problem for the girl. Remi drove in silence. She watched Roxie in the rear-view mirror, the teenager looked exhausted.

_Interesting._

_What is so interesting? – Thirteen mimicked her sister._

_You aren't yelling at me, it's unusual._

_It's not your fault. It's me who had to notice._

_To notice what?_

_That you are growing up._

_So, what's the problem?_

_You obviously need a bra._

_What?! – _Roxie looked at herself_._

_If I were a boy I would certainly chase you, because you're becoming hot._

_No, I'm not._

_Yes, you are beautiful, no matter how baggy clothes you wear you look attractive. It's wonderful._

_No, it's not._

_Why?_

_I wanna be a smart one not a hot one._

_You'll change your mind within a year or so, believe me._

_Were you the hottest at your school?_

_Yeah, it wasn't my choice, though it was cool._

_Where are we going?_

_To buy you a bra._

_What about the hospital? Shouldn't you be at work?_

_No, I'm suspended for two days._

_Why?_

_I nearly killed our patient, I mixed up the medicine. Thank God, Taub noticed._

_Will they put you on trial?_

_What? No, I received a stern reprimand from Dr. House and Dr. Cuddy. I'm suspended. It will be registered in my file, that's all._

_It's because you don't sleep at night and drink a lot._

_No, Roxie, it's because I'm dying…._

**To be continued…**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**By Rondabunny**

**Part 5**

The car kept moving but there was an astonishing silence inside. Roxie tried to digest the phrase said by her sister.

"_What do you mean you're dying? Do you have cancer?"_ she asked really scared.

"_No, it's not a cancer. It's Huntington's chorea. It's much worse."_ Remi replied looking on the road as if nothing has happened.

"_What is it?" _

"_It's a genetic disease. My mother died of it, not it's my turn,"_ she said in calm voice.

"_How does it show up?"_ Roxie continued questioning.

"_It's a neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and some cognitive functions. This means that I won't be able to control my muscles, my movements. I won't be able to __eat, I won't be able to walk and at the latest stages I won't be able to breathe."_

"_Then you should go to the hospital to take medication. Does Dr. House know about it?"_ the child asked nervously.

"_Rox, it's incurable. There is no cure at all. Nobody can do anything even Dr. House."_ She answered parking the car. She stopped and left the car but Roxie were inside. Dr. Hadley opened the door for Roxie but she was still sitting in the car not moving. _"Come on, Rox. We go shopping."_ She said asking the girl to leave the car.

"_How much time do you have?"_ the girl asked seriously.

"_I don't know. Three years maybe less. Come on, get out."_ Remi replied cheerfully. The girl obeyed and left the car.

"_For how long did you know?"_she leaned on the car and looked at her elder sister.

"_Does it matter?"_

"_Yes, it does! Why didn't you tell me?! You're drinking because of the disease? Do you want to forget about it? Do you want to destroy yourself?!" _She shouted at her.

"_You wanted to ask if I want to leave you alone. Yes, Roxie. It will be better for you and for me. I want you to go back to the orphanage, maybe they'll find you a home, a real home with mommy and daddy, because I won't be able to take care of you. I won't be able to take care of myself.__ I'm really sorry, Roxie."_ Remi looked at her sister's expression but she couldn't read anything. Girl's face was unemotional.

"_I won't go to an orphanage. I won't go anywhere. I'm not a child anymore. I can decide __for myself what to do." _She answered starring at the doctor.

"_Roxie, it's not a joke. It's a real life. You don't work, you don't have money and guts even to buy yourself a bra but you're telling me that you can rule the world. You're nothing but a thirteen year-old girl. You don't even know what is going on with your body and why the boys get looking at you, because you psychic state has not developed properly yet."_

"_If I'm so stupid to you, than watch!" _the girl said and headed towards the shop. She got into the shop, came in the lingerie's department, asked for a bra of her size. It took her 20 minutes to try it on with one hand in plaster but she refused any help. Roxie chose two bras and paid for them. Remi just watched the process.

A shop-assistant came to Thirteen and said: _"You have a very beautiful daughter with a really good taste."_

"_Yes, she is__ pretty much like me."_ Dr. Hadley answered not trying to explain that the girl was just her sister.

Roxie left the shop followed by Thirteen.

"_Fine, it was cool. I admit it. It is an expensive bouti__que where did you get the money? I mean I don't give you a penny for three weeks by now."_

"_I started working as a freelancer one year ago. I make computer-programs__ and get my web-money. You know I can work as a freelancer due to internet and my brains which for you aren't too smart."_ Roxie hissed.

"_So, you mean you work as a programmer through internet and you get paid for it?" _Thirteen was shocked. Yes, she knew about freelancing and other internet job possibilities, but she was shocked that a teenager could work as a specialist.

"_Yep, I made 30,000 in a year. So, I'm not as pathetic as you think."_ She shrugged her shoulders.

"_You've earned how much?"_ Remi looked definitely surprised.

"_30,000 dollars__ I can earn more if I work everyday."_ She simply said.

"_Wow, why have you been taking my money? You have yours."_

"_I didn't want to upset you."_ Roxie smiled.

"_Yeah, right."_ She said. They didn't talk about Remi's disease that evening. They enjoyed themselves. Roxie invited Remi to a movie, then they went to a café. Both came home late but they were happy.

In the morning Remi woke Roxie up.

"_Hey, sleepy-head wake up."_

"_Mmmm. I don't want to."_ The girl tried to hide her head under the pillow.

"_Rox, get up now!"_ Thirteen took her blanket apart.

"_What for? I won't go to school today."_

"_Yes, because you're __coming with me."_ She said taking away girl's pillow.

"_Where?"_

"_To the hospital."_

**Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital**** an hour later**

Thirteen and Roxanne came to the hospital. House noticed them as he was on his clinic duty today, because Thirteen couldn't do his work. She was suspended.

"_Hey, there you are! I thought who would do my hours in the clinic today."_ He told approaching them.

"_I'm out of work for two days, remember?"_ Thirteen said him looking evilly.

"_You took this young lady,_ he pointed at Roxie with his cane, _to make her feel miserable because she had a spree yesterday and didn't go to school."_

"_No, it's an educational excursion want to show our delivery room for her to know the consequences of sleeping with boys."_ Remi snapped back. Roxie looked curiously at her sister. House looked at Roxie with surprise.

"_My gosh! Though at least she is on the right way. I mean that between boys and girls she chose the right variant."_ He said winking at Roxie. The girl shook her head and opened her mouth in disbelief. Thirteen pushed her and they went to an elevator.

They came upstairs. Remi opened the door and let the girl into the room where different people were sitting, walking with nurses, trying to talk. All the people behaved strange. They walked as if they were under a high voltage. One patient made a step accompanied with many little gestures. Some tried to talk but there was too much mimic in their words so that it was hard to understand them. Others simply cried or shouted and everything was accompanied with unnecessary movements.

"_Who are they?"_ Roxie asked starring at what is going on in this hell.

"_They are me in three years. I'll be like them. I won't control my body, I won't control my emotions. Roxie, the only thing I can do for you now is to put you into an orphanage because even with your work and your money nobody will let you avoid the foster-ship."_

"_Remi, what if I refuse your proposal, would you be angry?"_

"_No, but your decision will ruin your life forever."_

"_I want to stay with you no matter what happens next."_ She looked into her sister's eyes. Thirteen just nodded.

_To be continued__..._


	6. Chapter 6

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**By Rondabunny**

**Part 6**

A week passed since their last conversation. Both sisters lived as nothing has happened at all. Remi went at work every day as usual and Roxie spent her time at school and with the computer which she liked the most. They didn't talk about Thirteen's disease. Every Sunday they went together to the cinema and watched a movie or Remi took her little sister to a museum. It was like any time before though it was not true. Every day after school Roxie went to the library and read articles and books about Huntington's chorea. She didn't understand the half of the terminology but she made her research using the dictionaries to interpret the unknown words. The more she read the more she understood that nothing could save Remi from dying. Roxie could do only one thing…

**Princeton Plainsboro Hospital**

A young slim girl with brown hair in a pony tail came into Dr. Cuddy's office. She was wearing baggy jeans and a loose sweater. She saw a woman sitting at the desk and talking with someone on the phone. The woman put the receiver and asked: _"Can I help you?"_

"_Good evening. Are you Dr. Cuddy?"_ the girl asked back.

"_Yes, and you are…"_ she looked at the girl trying to figure out why she is here.

"_I'm Roxanne Hadley. Dr. Hadley's sister and I wanted to talk to you."_ Roxie replied. Cuddy told her to sit down.

_It is a teaching hospital right?_

_Yes, it is._

_I want to learn a general duty nursing._

_What for? Do you want to enter a medical college?_

_No. I want to learn how to render first aid, how to make injections and other medical stuff you know. I want to help people if something extraordinary happens._

_How old are you?_

_Sixteen._

_Everybody lies._

_I think you can publish a book of Dr. House's quotes._

Cuddy smiled. _"It is not a quote. It's the reality. You're a liar and knowing your sister you will be a pain in the neck just like all House's team."_

"_Does this mean that I can start as a volunteer tomorrow after school?" _the girl jumped to a conclusion.

"_This means you're a minor and I can't take you. Come… I don't know after two or three years and I'll think to accept your proposal or not."_ The older doctor answered standing up.

"_I can pay for the education. Tell the price. I'm sure I'll cover it."_ Roxie insisted.

"_It's not about the money. I can't take a kid to do the nurse job. You'__re too young. It is a hard work. You won't stand even a week here. It's impossible. I'm sorry."_ Cuddy shook her head.

"_What if I don't have these two or three years? Remi's condition can be worse in two years. Do you want me to watch her die not knowing simple things how to take care of her."_She was standing now and looking right in Dr. Cuddy's eyes.

Cuddy gasped. She was surprised to hear such words from a teenager. _"Roxie, listen. I promise you that Remi will have the best professional treatment. She's a good has the medical insurance if anything happens she will be in good hands."_ Cuddy approached the girl.

"_Yeah, you would put your mother in a hospice and forget about her existence. I don't want Remi be treated like a garbage. I won't leave her, because she did everything for me. She brought me up. She's like a mother to me. I don't want to put her in a stupid hospice. If you can't help me then I find the other way."_ She turned and made two steps to the exit.

"_Wait. You can start tomorrow after school.__ Three hours a day. But it won't be easy."_ Cuddy warned her.

"_Thank you, Dr. Cuddy."_ She was ready to leave. _"One more thing. Please, don't tell anything Dr. Hadley. I don't want her to know. She is too jumpy."_

"_Deal. Tomorrow I wait you at 15:30 in my office. Don't be late." _Cuddy replied. Roxie nodded and left the room.

**Evening, Thirteen's apartment**

Thirteen was reading a book on a couch. She looked tired after a day of work. It was really great that it wasn't necessary to do all the household duties, because Roxie did everything. She always tried to help her elder sister. They divided all the work in two and if Remi was late Roxie would prepare dinner and do the dishes after it. These things weren't to be discussed. Roxanne came into the room and sat on the couch.

_What are you reading?_

_Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn. Why?_

_Just curious. Rem, maybe I'll be coming late from school._

_Interesting._

_I volunteered to be a math teacher's assistant. It is four more hours after school._

_Won't you be tired? You know you have other lessons to do except math._

_No, I've planned everything. I can manage to do that without causing harm other subjects._

_Ok._

_Great! Thanks! You're the best!_

Roxie kissed her sister's cheek and jumped from the couch. Remi smiled and continued reading the book.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**by Rondabunny**

**P****art 7**

Dr. Cuddy came into the House's office that very evening. House was watching something on his computer but he noticed Cuddy entering the room.

"_By what chance did you come here?" _he asked his boss looking up at Cuddy.

"_I need to know how's Thirteen doing."_ She told him, sitting right opposite House.

"_Thirteen is great. Solved the case and saved me two hours__ of porn-watching."_ He replied starring curiously at Cuddy.

"_House, I mean her physical condition."_

"_Oh… Today she blabbed about winning a running contest. I think it's true, 'cause I couldn't keep up with her today. You know, she scampered with the light speed." _He said studying Cuddy's expression.

"_Yeah, right. I better take a look at her medical card." _She stood up ready to leave.

"_Why are you son interested in Thirteen's condition? Do you know something I don't? Like she is not a bisexual but also a zoophile?" _

Cuddy just shook her head and left the room without answering the question. It alerted House. Why his boss would be interested in his co-worker? Maybe Cuddy started to notice the symptoms. Yes, Hadley showed some symptoms like being a little bit edgy and it became a habit for her to twirl something in her hands, but she was reasonable, she did her job well as usual. Sometimes her hands became shaky nevertheless, she seemed fine.

**Next morning. House's office:**

"_Taub and Chase, you're doing clinic work. Foreman, go find a new patient. Thirteen, you are making paper-work."_ House told and put a huge pile of files at the table in front of Thirteen. Three men left the office. Thirteen rolled her eyes and grabbed the file at the top of the mount. Dr. House sat at his place at the head of the table and watched Thirteen doing her job. Three minutes passed and House's gaze finally pissed her off.

"_What are you starring at?"_ She picked up her head from the file.

"_Trying to figure out what Cuddy is up to."_ He said looking at Thirteen with great attention.

"_Uh-hu. You know, you're in the wrong office then. Cuddy's is the three floor__s down."_ She said sarcastically turning to the pile of papers.

"_I'm curious why Cuddy is interested in your personality." _He watched Thirteen's reaction.

She looked at him: _"Don't know. I haven't seen her for two weeks. Yes, I saw her two days ago but we didn't talk or anything. Why? Did she ask you about me?" _

"_She is concerned about your medical condition."_ House answered simply. Thirteen stirred on her chair. It wasn't great news for her. She sighed and looked back in the file.

"_Don't worry too much. When you kill a patient I'll make sure for you to be fired."_ He approached the younger doctor and patted her on the shoulder. _"I go keep an eye on Cuddy." _House left the room.

In the afternoon Roxie entered Cuddy's office. They went somewhere together in a couple of minutes. It intrigued House who saw them from the nurse's station. In fifteen minutes Cuddy returned to her office where House was already sitting at her table.

"_What's Thirteen light doing here?"_ he didn't give Cuddy to take a breath.

"_House, to my mind you had to be somewhere doing clinic duty."_ She said heading to her table.

"_Ok, I'll go and find out. Maybe it'll be good to tell Thirteen after all. She is surely her foster parent."_ He replied standing and walking to the exit.

_The girl wants to study nursing care._

_And of course you said "no"._

_Today she starts her education._

_How could you? She's a child. Yes, I know she becomes appealing and hot, and I guess every boy at school has her photo at his private moments. You know what I mean, but you can't hire a child to do the medical work._

_I didn't hire her, House. I enlisted her as a volunteer and if she fails she fails._

_Does Thirteen know about it?_

_No, she doesn't and you don't tell her either._

_Or what?_

_Nothing. I think Thirteen has a lot of problems besides Roxie right now. Her last tests showed __state is unstable. That is why she runs to extremes. I want you to keep an eye on her… Poor kid… _

House nodded and left the office.

The week was like hell for Roxie, who mopped floors, made beds, took dirty clothes to the laundry. She fed kids with paralysis. She entertained kids with cancer. She was everywhere at the same time and she was exhausted. The nurse, who was supposed to teach her, hated her and pushed her to the limits. She asked the girl to clean the toilets, to change diapers to children with incontinence and do a lot of dirty works. Every time when the girl did this kind of work she hurried to the lavatory and vomited. So, she refused to eat before coming to her torture place. This day wasn't easy at all. Roxie came and stepped into somebody's puke which spread all over the floor in the toilet. She took the mop and cleaned it. Two kids got a fight in the corridor and one of them smashed his chin. The floor was covered in blood and Roxie was the one who had to clean the mess. After that ugly fat nurse called her names and said that she's a dunderhead and she can't do anything right. At the end of the day when she counted the minutes to go home a nasty boy emptied his bedpan on Roxie. An episode with the bedpan finished Roxie off. She ran into the lavatory and started to cry. She didn't even notice Dr. House walking down the corridor.

She sat on the toilet sink and cried silently. Her scrub suit was covered with urine and it didn't smell nice at all. She was lucky that she had her underwear and a T-Shirt under the scrubs. All other clothes were in the closet. It would have been hard to explain her sister why she smelled like a dirty tramp.

"_Are you all right in there?"_ the girl heard a familiar voice. She nearly jumped. Did she mix up the doors? Of course not, the men's room was at the opposite side of the long corridor. She sat silently and waited for him to disappear.

"_I know you're there."_ House said and knocked the door with his cane

"_You made a mistake. It's the ladies' room, the men's is down the hall."_ The girl answered trying to make her voice sound normal.

"_Roxie, I know you're crying there. There is no reason to play this comedy. You're predictable like your sister."_House retorted.

"_She doesn't cry. She's stronger."_ Roxie opened the door and brushing away her tears.

House looked at her: _"Wow, how did you manage to pee on yourself? Even I can't do that."_

The girl smiled: _"You're a silly hedgehog, Dr. House"_

"_Nobody called me like that before. Why am I a hedgehog?"_ he asked curiously.

"_Because you show prickles but __in your inner side you care a lot." _She explained.

"_It's because you don't know me.__ So, how's you study at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital?"_

"_Can't you see it?"_ She showed him her wet scrubs.

"_Do you want to quit?"_

"_No, haven't learned anything yet. I've just studied how not to vomit when you're in a deep doodoo and it's not a euphemism." _

"_It's a big start and you owe me 100 dollars."_ He said as a matter of fact.

"_What for?"_ she was discharged by his impudence.

"_I bet that you'd quit within a week. I__'ve lost."_

"_You've known that I'd be working here since the very beginning?! Does my sister know too?"_ Roxie was astonished that Cuddy told everything Remi's boss.

"_Thirteen doesn't know anything, but if you come home with such a smell, she'll __notice. I think you have to take a shower before you go home."_

"_Thank you, Dr. Hedgehog!"_ She stood a tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek and went out off the lavatory. House stood in the middle of the room smiling…


	8. Chapter 8

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**by Rondabunny**

**Part ****8**

Two months passed. Little by little Roxie got used to the medical work. She didn't do the injections or other professional work. She was more like a janitor but she learned to dress the wound and to soothe the pain by distracting sick children. Patients liked her a lot especially small ones whom she read books and changed bandages. Roxie also helped Remi about the house and made dinner. The only days she had to herself were Saturday and Sunday. That is why she spent them doing her homework or writing computer programs. Remi noticed change in her sister's behavior, because they tried to spend free time together. Remi always took Roxie to the cinema, at the concert or to the museum. Now Roxie liked to stay at home and read something. She just helped Remi to go to a grocery store and buy food for a week. Dr. Hadley thought that this change was because of Roxie's puberty period. Maybe she didn't like her friends to see her with Remi. She understood it.

Monday Roxie went to school as usual. It wasn't her day. First who stopped her was the teacher of History. She wanted to leave the room after the lesson was over…

"_Miss Hadley, can I talk to you?"_ the teacher asked looking at the girl through thick glasses.

"_Yes__."_ the girl stopped right in front of the teacher's desk.

"_Roxanne, I don't know what's wrong __with you but this is the second time you have the unsatisfactory mark. I think I need to talk to your sister." _the woman was deathly serious.

"_I'm sorry, Mrs. __Naulty. I haven't time to read, but I promise I'll read all the material and rewrite the test if you let me do that."_ she apologized.

"_Fine, only because you were my best student. You have a week. Next Monday be prepared for the test or I'll call your sister__."_ said Mrs. Naulty.

"_Thank you. I'll be prepared. I promise." _She left the room, took a deep breath and exhaled.

Next was her teacher of Mathematics and Computer Science.

"_Roxie, hold on for a minute. I have some great news for you." _saidMr. Travis. _"The project you've made for the scientific contest won the first place and you are going to a general American contest on Computer Science which will be held in NY in two weeks. Isn't it great!"_ his face broke into a smile. _"I want to prepare you for the contest. It is really hard. All the brightest students will be there but I know you can win. We'll start tomorrow after school. Three hours each day and you'll be prepared as no one."_

"_Mr. Travis, I really appreciate your suggestion, but I'm not interested in it anymore."_ she replied.

"_What?! How?! Do you understand what is it? If you win the contest, all doors will be opened for you. You can study at the best mathematical school in the USA. It is __a scholarship, it is your future."_ He looked at her in disbelief.

"_Mr. Travis, I don't want a scholarship. I'm a good programmer, I know it. I'm already making money by writing the programs. Now I'm worried more about my History, Literature and Physical Training because I failed several tests and I have to __handle this situation somehow. I'm sorry."_ She took her bag and left the room. The teacher was astonished. He looked at her as if she was crazy.

**Late in the evening, Dr. Hadley's apartment. **Roxie was sitting on the floor reading the damn history. Remi was talking to somebody on the phone. Thirteen put down the receiver and knocked at the door of Roxie's room.

"_Come in"_ the girl told from behind the door.

"_What are you doing?"_ she asked her sister kneeling before Roxie.

"_Trying to memorize this stupid history. __Who was it?"_ She put the book aside.

"_Your Maths' teacher."_ Remi said calmly.

"_Shit!"_

"_Yeah! You have a lot to explain. Begin with: where you've been from 15:00 to 19:00, what you were doing all the time. I'm all ears." _Remi said a sadistic smile.

"_I was with my friends. We formed a gamer group. I don't do anything criminal. We play computer games. We want to win the gamers' competition via internet. It's an international gamers' contest."_Roxie lied.

"_Cool! A very interesting story. __Where do you meet?"_

"_At Mike's house. His parents are at work, so we have time and he has the greatest hardware ever!"_

"_How many of your friends take part in this?" _Dr. Hadley was playing with her sister, because she knew Roxie was lying.

"_Me, Mike, Rob and Pat."_ The girl replied.

"_Put up your sleeves."_ Remi demanded.

"_What?!"_

"_Roxie, please, put up your sleeves or I'll do it for you." _She said sternly.

"_I don't use drugs!"_ the girl stood up.

"_There is nothing to worry about then."_ Dr. Hadley retorted.

Roxie put up her sleeves with irritation and showed her veins: _"Satisfied?!"_

Remi looked at her sister's arms: _"No, Roxie, tell me the truth, please. You're loosing weight, you come home late, you're failing at school, you're lying to me. I want to understand what's going on. I don't recognize you anymore like I don't know anything about you. How can I help you if I cannot trust you?"_

Roxie stood in front of her sister silent. She refused to look in Remi's eyes. She didn't want to tell the truth. She thought it would scare Remi, because she was afraid herself. Thirteen stared at her little sister for a minute and left the room not saying a word either.

In the morning both sisters tried not to notice each other. Roxie said "Hello!" to Thirteen. Dr. Hadley didn't answer back. She sipped her coffee and went to work without saying anything to Roxanne. It was strange. She came at the hospital early. They had a new patient but she wasn't interested in this case. Her thoughts were far away from the patient or the hospital. Dr. House stared at her as he usually did when one of his team members were not working good.

"_Thirteen, you can buy me a cup of coffee."_ He told her when everybody else left the room to do their work.

"_Yes, sure."_ She stood up and was ready to leave but House stopped her.

"_Thirteen!"_ She turned back to see House. _"I hold on forth desperately trying to instruct you and you are somewhere in the clouds. What? Did Huntington's steal your attention?"_

"_Yes. Any other smart remarks or maybe I go and bring you the coffee until I remember."_ She mocked.

"_No, you can go and work in the clinic. There is no need in brains down there."_ He replied sardonically.

"_Thanks, House, you're charming as usual."_Thirteen pushed the door and left House alone in the office.

The whole day Remi worked in clinic and in the evening she didn't go home. She came to a lawyer.

"_Good evening! Can I help you?"_ a man said making a gesture for Thirteen to sit down.

"_I want to relinquish my sister." _

**To be continued…**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**by Rondabunny**

**Part 9**

Next day Thirteen faked coughing and teary eyes to make everyone think she's caught cold. Thankfully they didn't have a patient so she had an excuse to go home early. She left the hospital at 6 p.m. and within 30 minutes she was at home. Roxanne hasn't come yet. Thirteen put her purse on the table and went to her sister's room. She searched through her stuff to find at least a hint where she might have been all this time. Remi has only found three tests with unsatisfactory marks. She tried to access Roxie's computer but she failed. Thirteen tried every possible variants of the password but access was denied. She was reading the tests when she heard someone entered the apartment. It was Roxanne. Remi was standing in the living-room with the tests in her hands.

"_Can you explain me what is this?"_ she asked her sister showing the test-papers.

"_Did you mess about my things?"_ the girl was shocked.

"_I'm your foster-parent at least for the end of the week. Maybe I have right to know where are you, whom do you spend time with, why do you have "D" instead of "A"?"_ Remi shouted.

"_I'm working on it."_ The teenager replied taking the test-papers from her sister.

"_Yeah, you know what. I talked to a lawyer. I'm tired and it'll be better for you to have another foster-parent. I'm sorry, Roxanne. I don't know who you are anymore."_ She said.

"_Do you want to leave me?"_

"_Roxanne, it will be better for you. I'm always at work. I don't have time to speak with you. My symptoms they start showing. Year after year it will be worse. I won't control my body and won't control my emotions. I will be yelling at you. It will be hell. I have to do this." _She approached her sister wanting to hug her, to make her understand.

Roxanne made two steps back: _"Don't touch me! It's bullshit and you know it!" _She ran to her room and slammed the door.

"_You think to watch you walking the streets and doing stupid things is great?! Do you think it is easy to be a mommy?! I took care of you since I have been 15 year-old and I'm tired of all your shit! You want to be an adult than behave like an adult! I hate you! I hated you since you were born! The biggest mistake in my life was when I came to that orphanage!"_ she yelled making sure that Roxanne would hear her. Roxie cried sitting on the floor in her room.

Three days passed. Thirteen was at work.

"_Taub and Foreman, go and find what drugs our patient is hiding at his place. Chase, you do the tests. Thirteen you stay."_ House made the orders.

The men left and Thirteen sat at the table starring at House.

"_What do you want, House?"_ she asked him really pissed off, because she argued about their patient during the differential.

"_I want to know, if it's your Huntington, your period or something else, because nobody can work with you when you're barking at them the whole week. This was my prerogative but you went to the limit. I want to know the reason to fire you."_He emphasized the last sentence.

"_I'm leaving Roxanne. Maybe it is time to fire me, because my hands start to shake permanently and I can't do anything about it." _She replied simply.

"_You're doing what?! You're stupid! Come!"_ he looked at his watch and opened the door. Thirteen followed him. They went to the dressing station. Roxanne changed the bandage to one of the patients. Thirteen was surprised to see her sister at the hospital.

"_What are you doing here?"_ Remi asked.

"_Don't you see? She's __been working here for two months already."_ House interfered in.

"_You knew about it?!"_ Thirteen looked at House.

"_Remi, I can explain everything."_ Roxanne said waiting for the storm.

"_You can shut up! I'll talk to you at home!"_ she hissed. _"How could you! She's a thirteen year-old kid. She isn't even allowed to be here!" _She yelled at her boss.

"_Actually you are yelling at the wrong person now, because I have nothing to do with it. I found out not long ago."_ He lied.

"_Dr. Cuddy. I sue this hospita__l! I'll be waiting for you at House's office after your shift is done!"_ She told Roxanne and stormed out of the room.

"_This is bad." _Roxie muttered.

"_What?! It'll be a great catfight! I can't __miss it!" _He limped out too.

Dr. Hadley entered Cuddy's office. She went fast to Dean's table: _"For how long has my sister been working here?!"_ she hissed.

"_It is a teaching hospital, Dr. Hadley. She isn't working. She is learning how to give first aid." _Cuddy spoke patiently.

"_Since when do teenagers without any medical knowledge have right to __contact with patients neglecting the fact that their parents don't know anything about it?!"_ She put her hands on Cuddy's table starring at her fiercely.

"_Roxanne knew you would act like this."_ Cuddy said taking the files from her desk and going to the shelves to put the files.

House entered the room: _"What have I missed?" _

Thirteen and Cuddy ignored him.

"_Why didn't you tell me? This is a hospital not a courtyard__. You have no right to take her here. It is stressful for the teenage psyche not mentioning the fact that everyone around is sick. I don't want my sister to be a neurasthenic!"_ She uttered.

"_Oh, yeah! It is not you who want to relinquish her because you're too obsessed with yourself."_ House snapped.

"_What?! You want to leave her?"_ Dr. Cuddy asked in a shock. _"She comes here everyday for two and a half months 'cause she wants to know how to take care of you and you want to throw her away like a piece of garbage?!"_

"_Don't speak to me like that because you're not in my shoes and you don't know what I feel! What would you do if Rachel was at Roxie's place? Would you make her work at a hospital instead of having fun with her friends? Would you want her to watch you die slowly and ruin her life? Would you do that?!" _Dr. Hadley spoke to Cuddy and tears filled her eyes.

Cuddy came closer to Thirteen: _"Remi, I don't know what to say… The worst thing you can do is to leave her. Don't do that. She loves you. You're more than a mother, you're her whole world. I wish Rachel will love me so."_

Thirteen turned away and left the room. She ran to the lady's room to wash her face and to calm down. She didn't want anybody to see her cry.

Cuddy looked at House: _"House, don't let her do that. Keep an eye on her, she might do something stupid."_ He nodded and went out off the office.

After 4 hours at the hospital Roxanne came to House's office. It was empty. She sat on a chair at a glass table put her elbows on the table and hid her face in the palms. She was tired and was afraid of the forthcoming conversation with her sister. House entered the room. Roxie put up her head to see who has come in.

"_How are you?"_ he asked the girl.

"_Fine."_She replied.

"_Everything's gonna be OK."_ He said patting the girl on her shoulder.

"_Nothing's gonna be Ok__, but I got used to it."_ She muttered.

Thirteen came and took Roxanne home. They drove home in silence, nobody wanted to say anything. Silence was a relief. They both wanted to last it forever. They came home and prepared dinner together. They sat at a table and Remi started the conversation.

"_Do you really want to become a professional nurse or you just want to piss me off?"_

"_I want to be a professional medical assistant at least. I want to know want to do. I want to be prepared." _The teenage replied.

"_Then you have to study hard at school. You need perfect marks in chemistry, biology, science, mathematics. You have to study anatomy."_ She starred at her little sister.

"_I can do it."_

"_You'll take the part in that mathematics' competition and you'll take the part in whatever contests or competitions you might get through. Try hard and you'll go to the medical school next year." _Remi said as a matter-of-fact.

"_What about the orphanage?"_

"_I can't. I've read everything about the foster system and I told the lawyer to fuck off. Maybe I start going crazy, but I can't send you anywhere until I'm functioning. We have to make a deal. Don't lie to me ever, especially when I'm in a bad mood."_

"_Deal." _Roxie jumped from her place_, _embraced her sister and kissed her on the cheek. _"I love you."_

"_Me too."_

**To be continued…**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**by Rondabunny**

**Part 10**

A year passed. Tremor in Remy's hands was visible now. She didn't contact with the patients. She was stuck in the office. She came to work as a consultant. It was hard to hold a syringe or to assist her colleagues. Remy did the paperwork. She answered patients' letters and was all day working with the computer. Everyday Thirteen took the medication but each day it helped less than other. She kept doing the gymnastics but Huntington's slowly occupied her body. This morning Remy stood in the kitchen. Her hands were shaking. She took an orange and a knife to cut it. Her right hand twitched and slipped off the fruit. It twitched again and the knife swirling flew to the doorway. Roxie was coming into the kitchen this very moment. So the knife flew within an inch from her neck. It stuck into the floor of the living room. Remy dashed to her sister. She took Roxie's face in her shaky hands and started to examine it.

"_Roxie, I'm… I'm… I'm so sorry! My God! You're bleeding!"_ she exclaimed. Her eyes were round of fear.

"_I'm fine, Remy! Calm down. You're too squint-eyed, you know!__"_ Roxanne joked. _"I'm not bleeding."_ She brushed blood from the right cheek. _"It's you who are bleeding."_ She took Remy's left hand in hers. The blood was running and dropped on the floor. The girl took quickly a towel and wrapped the hand in it. _"We need to stop the blood and maybe you have to take some stitches. The cut is deep."_ She said and went to the bathroom to get a first-aid-kit. Roxanne took out the knife on her way back to the kitchen. Remy sat at a bar deep in thought. Girl put the first-aid-kit on the bar and took out all the necessary things to disinfect the wound. She wanted to unwrap the towel to rinse the wound.

"_Thanks, I can do it myself!"_ Remy barked at her.

"_As you wish."_The kid retreated. Roxanne knew how it was hard for Thirteen to loose control, to know that everyday is closer to death. Her emotional condition was unstable. Sometimes Remy shouted at her for nothing. This year Roxie was studying at the medical school. She read a lot of books about Huntington's chorea. She prepared herself to sudden outburst of anger coming from her elder sister. It was inevitable. She knew Remy would apologize later. She always did at least for now. So, the girl cut the orange into several pieces, put one of them in her mouth, washed the knife, put it intoa drawer and left the room. Thirteen managed to stop the blood and was desperately trying to bandage her poor hand. At last she took the bandage and tore it to pieces in rage. The wound began to bleed again. Roxanne appeared in the kitchen. The teenager gathered the pieces of cloth from the floor and tossed them into a dustbin. _"May I take a look?"_ she asked Thirteen. The girl examined her sister's hand, stopped the blood, put in three stitches, put a plaster and took the first-aid-kit back to its place in the bathroom. Roxanne did everything in silence.

"_Thanks._" She heard exiting the bathroom.

"_Not at all!"_ Roxie muttered.

"_Roxie, I'm sorry."_

"_What about to go at a diner?" _the girl asked.

"_You want me to hammer__ a fork against a plate?"_

"_We can pretend that I'm your girlfriend and I can feed you."_ She looked at the woman lustily.

"_You're a little jerk!__ Are you making out with girls at school?" _Remy was shocked by the comment. Roxie rolled her eyes.

"_It's a joke. I don't make out with anyone. I'm fourteen! Interesting is__, what did you do at my age?" _

"_I was happy that dad met your mother but I was really angry when you appeared__ two years later."_ Thirteen explained.

"_You always tell me about my mom, why don't you like to speak about yours?" _

"_Because in a year or two I'll be like her." _Remy lowered her eyes. _"There is nothing to speak about. You'll see it… Let's go to a diner."_

Remy swallowed the pills and they drove to the diner. They wandered along the city the whole day. Girls were in an amusement park. It was fun. Thirteen forgot about her disease for a day. Roxie tried every carousel and every coaster in the park. They ate ice-cream, hamburgers and drank cola. The day was amazing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………_._

A year later Remy's state of health became worse. Cuddy signed her resignation letter. Thirteen attended the hospital as a patient not as a doctor. Her arms and legs twitched uncontrollably, her neck moved from one part to the other making discontinuous motion. She woke up in the morning already tired of all of the gestures her body made during the night. She could still take care of herself, though her hands were shaking so that she used a straw to drink. Roxie helped her a lot. She was always near except the time when she was at school. Sometimes Remy wanted her to disappear, to leave her alone, but the teenage followed her as a shadow. House and her co-workers came everyday after work to talk to her. The telephone rang many times during the day when House's team had a patient. Thirteen always consulted them. Nevertheless she knew, her brain started to diminish. She forgot some things and tried hard to recollect them reading the books one after another. Roxanne subscribed to every internet library she knew, and Remy had a great amount of books through the internet. Her apartment turned into a smart house. Roxanne updated and upgraded all the things around Thirteen to make every movement as easy as it could be. Dr. House took her to the hospital when it was necessary, because Roxanne was a minor and she had no rights to drive a car, despite the thing that she could do it.

It never rains but it pours. Day after day Remy felt worse and worse. Her doctor in charge informed the social security and the problems began. One day the phone rang in Dr. House's apartment in the middle of the night and a woman's voice started to explain something crying.

"_House, they want to take her from me! They said I need a guardian,__ because soon I won't be able to take care of myself, so I can't be a foster parent anymore."_ Remy was in despair.

"_Thirteen, listen! I can't understand a word you're saying. Calm down, ok! I'll be at your place in 30 minutes. Just calm down!"_ He told her, put the receiver and began to put on his clothes.

* * *

**The next ****day, Cuddy's office:**

Dr. House entered the office. The first question he heard was: _"How's Thirteen doing?"_

"_Worse. That bastard Crawford informed the social security. Thirteen goes to the hospice and Roxanne to the orphanage." _House explained.

"_He followed the instructions which you used to ignore."_ Cuddy replied.

"_Hey! It's my worker and a great doctor we are talking about! You speak about some stupid instructions!"_ He shouted at her angrily.

"_What are you going to do?"_ She asked simply.

Suddenly the door opened and House's former wife Stacey came into the room.

"_You won't do anything." _The woman said. _"Everything is under control. Roxanne contacted me three months ago. She explained the situation. I'm taking her case to the court and she'll be her own master in a month. If I prove her solvent she can take care of Dr. Hadley, and believe me she can pay all the bills. For now I'm their guardian. I spoke to Dr. Hadley this morning."_

"_Fine." _House said astonished a bit. _"It's nice to see you again. If anything goes wrong in the court, let me know. I think I can be their tutor too." _The woman nodded.

A few months later Roxanne was free to make her own decisions. She made all the necessary documents. She attended the driving courses and passed the exams. The girl took Remy's car. Now she was in charge. Time flew and one day a company sent her a letter asking the young woman to sign a contract with them. She elaborated a computer program that interested many high-tech companies. Roxie signed the contract and graduated the medical school ahead of schedule. Now all the time she spent with her sister. Thirteen's body didn't obey her anymore. She could spend whole morning trying desperately to put on her clothes or to pour a glass of water. Her emotional state was unstable. She yelled at Roxie and sometimes threw things at her. She forgot everything, so Roxanne had to stick everywhere the reminder notes for Thirteen.

Once the girl went shopping and left Remy alone. She turned home and found Remy lying on the floor unconscious. She drank all the pills at one go but she survived, thanks to Roxie.

Roxanne was seventeen when one day her sister stopped breathing forever. All Thirteen's friends were at the funeral. The ceremony was short but nice. Dr. House came to Roxanne two days after the funeral. The young woman packed her things. She was moving. She couldn't live in this apartment anymore.

"_Why did you kill her?"_ The older doctor asked.

"_What?!"_ Roxie was surprised by the question.

"_You've heard me. I found a huge dose o__f insulin in her blood."_

"_I signed the refusal form of dissection!"_ She said not looking at House.

"_Nobody made the autopsy. I wanted to know what happened, because she could live at least __two years more." _He explained. Roxanne left the room and returned with a letter in her hand. She gave it to Dr. House.

It ran: _"Roxie,_

_I don't know how long I'd be torturing you. I don't want to do this. While I'm still sober and in a good shape, please, don't try to stop me. I want to finish this torture. I understand what will happen to my body. I was the witness of my mother dying slowly and painfully. I don't want to die like that. I want it to be fast, so nobody will get hurt. Don't try to save me. I understand what I am doing. Thank you for everything. _

_Love you,_

_Remy"_

The letter was handwritten. The writing was clear. It meant that Remy wrote it long before the beginning of her symptoms.

Dr. House put the paper on the table and sat near Roxanne on the couch.

"_What will you do?"_ He asked.

"_Don't know. Shoot myself." _She murmured and tears clouded her vision.

House hugged her: _"Shhh. You did everything right. It was a relief for her…"_

**The end**

* * *

**I dedicate this story to Nikolaeva T.K., a friend of our family, who died this year of cancer. Doctor discharged her in the day of her death. She died at home in agony. A nurse left two funeral candles in ward where the woman had been lying for a week writhing with pain. ****They already knew that she'd die this day, nevertheless they discharged her. I hate our medical system…**


	11. Chapter 11

**I'll Give My Life for Her**

**Epilogue**

**By Rondabunny**

_**I don't know what do you expect me write. I write drama because all the misery I see around me makes me look at the world that way. **_

"_What is the point to commit a suicide at thirty? Why do you dedicate all the life to people and then finish yourself in a lonely house for your housemaid to find you three days later?" _House walked along Roxie's house trying to answer questions in his mind.

"_Isn't it ironic?" _He turned on her computer. Cops didn't find anything, so, he wanted to understand why she did commit a suicide. The young successful woman, who became the greatest programmer, worked for a powerful corporation and gave all her money to medical scientific research and hospitals. He read files on the monitor but didn't find anything interesting. An hour later working with the files he got desperate to find anything important and was going to leave that piece of iron be, but one title attracted his attention. It was called "Yumy" and it didn't fit to any things she had been doing all her life. She wasn't a cooker and she hated cooking. Everything she did was here, her programs, games she made, different files. It wasn't an ordinary computer. It was a machine with a huge display covering the whole wall. This beast was the room itself. All the information was here, but the police was satisfied with the letter Roxie left on the table.

"_I go to you Remy…"_ That was all she had written.

House tried to open the file but it had a password. He got over every word combination Roxie could have thought about, but he didn't succeed to open it. After an hour of failed attempts to break the password he simply typed 'yumy' without thinking and suddenly the file opened. It was, he didn't understand what was it but he followed the instructions and took a helmet from the table next to the couch he was sitting on and put it on his head. He didn't understand why all her life she had spent here with that damn beasty machine. She didn't have any friends, though everyone in the world knew her for her charity donations. Reporters and paparazzi followed her everywhere. It made her hire a bodyguard. She was Mother Teresa only with one exception, she hated people. She didn't give interviews, she hadn't a man, she was always alone. House doubted if she had ever kissed a man or a woman, 'cause she was a virgin when he examined her body in morgue. The only person she accepted in her house was him, an old man, who worked for several years with her sister, his Thirteen.

Dr. House looked through glasses on the helmet and gasped. He saw Thirteen standing in front of him in all her beauty as if she was alive. He stretched his arm to touch her.

"_You can't touch me, House. I'm just an imagination."_ She giggled.

"_How do you know it's me?"_ He was surprised that she pronounced his name.

"_Roxie told me you'd come."_ She said simply walking about the room.

"_How do you do this?"_ He asked looking at her in disbelief.

"_Do what?" _Thirteen smiled and turned around.

"_Walk."_ House explained.

"_It's simple. One step then the other."_ She replied.

"_Do you know where Roxie is?"_ House asked the image.

"_Roxie."_ Thirteen stopped. _"Roxie is my sister."_

"_I know, do you know where she is?" _He asked once again.

"_She is my sister."_ Remy repeated. House asked some more questions and understood that she was just a vivid hologram no more no less. She answered the questions Roxie taught her to answer. House wanted to turn it off but when he did so, he saw Roxie standing in the room.

"_I knew you'd come." _The hologram said. _"You saw Remy. I think you understand why I did this to myself. I missed her so much. I hope she'll forgive me for what I've done to her. I can't live without her anymore. I tried to revive her. My attempts were hopeless. Thank you for being my friend for all these years. I just can't live with myself anymore. I wish you understand. Tell the people who have been taking care of me that I'm thankful for everything they did. Now I want to see Remy. Bye."_ She turned her back to House, made three steps and disappeared.

House took off the helmet and a single tear crossed his face. Now he understood. He understood the pain she was during these thirteen years. She just wanted to be with her sister, with the woman who cared, with one who understood Roxie without words.

_**The pain is unbearable when one you love dies, because the world you had dies too.**_

**Now the end**


End file.
